Method of capturing scene and recorder with means of performing this method

ABSTRACT

An automatic update is performed by an archiving device that controls the device carrying the sequentially accessible recording medium. The update can be performed according to a full scan algorithm or to an append algorithm. Both algorithms arrange things so that only those scenes are captured to the archiving medium that are more recent than the last scene captured in a previous session. The reference for the age is the Recording Date and Time. The full scan algorithm does not make assumptions about how a recording medium has been recorded, whereas the append algorithm is intended for recording media used by appending new material after old material. The method of capturing scenes is especially useful for a disk recorder. The data captured may be an audio/video-stream of a camcorder or the files of a personal computer.

The invention concerns an archiving device carrying an archiving mediumsuch as a disk-recorder that uses a disk to archive the scenestransferred from a camera, a camcorder or any other device carrying asequentially accessible recording medium. In the following text arecording device is used instead of a camera, camcorder or other devicecarrying a sequentially accessible recording media and an archivingdevice is used for devices carrying an archiving medium such as any kindof disk recorder (HDD, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD+R).

Camcorders in general have a means of recording pictures and sound.These scenes can for example be recorded on a tape. Together with thescenes, the date and time of recording (in the following text RD&T) arestored. In typical home recording situations new scenes are added to thetape once in a while. The tape can be viewed on the camcorder displayitself or from a video recorder that captured the camcorder recordingsin advance. The video recorder can be fixed into the home Audio/Videostack so that the television screen can be used as a monitor forexample. In general, viewing scenes from a video recorder using a diskas a recording medium is more convenient than viewing scenes from atape, as the disk offers better scene access and a better table ofcontents so that the user can easily skip certain scenes.

The sequentially accessible recording medium, e.g. a tape, has littlearchiving capacity measured in time with reference to its size. So, forlong term storage and archiving it is common to use disks such as HardDisks, Digital Versatile Disks (DVD)+Re-Writing or other DVD media. Dueto a higher compression disks offer more archiving capacity measured intime with reference to their size.

This means that there are two main reasons for capturing the scenes fromtape to disk: the first is the greater convenience when viewing, thesecond is the improved archiving.

As the archiving medium typically has a higher archiving capacity thanthe recording medium the archiving medium will be updated from time totime.

Scenes can be captured from tape to disk and updates can be performedmanually. Therefore, the user has to know or find out which scenes havealready been captured and which have not. As the scenes on the tape arenot necessarily stored in chronological order, manual capturing thescenes is a difficult and error-prone process. If the user wants toensure that every scene recorded after the last update is captured fromtape to disk he has to rewind the tape to the beginning, start playingthe tape and start recording at the same time if he finds out that a newscene is beginning. All this requires a lot of user attention andinteraction.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,208 reveals a video camera/camcorder mountedtransmitter for transmitting audio, video, time code and tally statussignals through an omnidirectional antenna. The signals are transmittedto a receiver that demodulates the signals and then stores the data orvisualizes them. There is not a hint in the document that the receivercontrols the camcorder for example. FIG. 1 especially makes it evidentthat the camcorder is only prepared for transmission.

The WO 01/13639 shows a system and method of archiving data transmittedfrom a variety of sources (via the Internet, direct transmission, cable,etc.) and for the retrieval of the stored data by different users. Thestored signals are time and data stamped, identified by the originatingsite and camera, so that they can be easily found and retrieved based onthe time and place of record. This system consists of a camera thattransmits the signals to a central station. It is not foreseen that thecentral station should control the camera.

JP 08-198686 reveals a system for dubbing from a camera integrated videotape recorder to an external video tape recorder. The system isremote-controlled. The user controls the camera integrated video taperecorder, i.e. the reproduction device and also the separate video taperecorder or recording device. The external video tape recorder is set ina recording state through the compilation remote controller. There isnot a hint of a method by which the recording device (external videotape recorder) controls the reproduction device (camera integrated videotape recorder).

Also JP 06-082859 shows a dubbing method. In this system the startsignal is transmitted from the camera integrated video tape recorder tothe external video tape recorder by using a remotely controlledtransmission part.

The miroVIDEO DV200 user's guide version 2.0/GB November 2000 byPinnacle Systems, Braunschweig, Germany reveals a board to transfer DVVideo from the DV tape to the PC hard disk. This board is a controldevice for an individual adaptation of settings as regards the video andaudio input, the output and the overlay. The miroVIDEO DV200 thereforescans the tape and displays the contents on the PC monitor or LCD.Scanning merely identifies the clips on the tape so that the user cansee which clips he wants to capture and save to the hard drive. Once thedigital clip is in the PC's hard disk it can be edited using specificsoftware. A clip is a certain extract from the audio and video stream ofthe DV tape. When the procedure of individual adaptation is started, thecontrol device searches on the tape for an in point (start of take) andan out point (end of take) and then captures the video sequence locatedbetween these two points. The in point and out point are manuallydefined in advance by the user. The in point and out point areidentified by time codes. Time codes are stamps that mark thechronological position of a scene within a video sequence, calculatedfor example in hours:minutes:seconds. Although the control device of themicro VIDEO DV200 searches on the DV tape for a time code there is nohint in this user's guide about comparing the time codes with thosecaptured on the hard disk drive in the past.

One object of the invention is to provide a method of capturing datathat comprise a recording date and time, and have been recorded by adevice carrying a sequentially accessible recording medium, on anarchiving medium. This method is supposed to be less error-phone. Thisis a means of automatically updating the archiving medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide an archiving device thatis adapted to perform this method.

As regards the method, the problem is solved by the device carrying thearchiving medium controlling the device carrying the recording medium.For example, this means that the disk-recorder controls the camcorderduring the update process.

As regards the archiving device, the problem is solved by a means ofcontrolling the device carrying the recording medium.

There are two variants for performing the inventive method. One variantis the full scan algorithm and the other the append algorithm.

Both methods arrange things so that only those scenes that are morerecent than the last scene captured in a previous session are capturedto the archiving medium. The reference for the age of the scenesrecorded on the camcorder's tape is the Recording Date and Time (RD&T).The full scan and the append method both contain a certain algorithmthat is described below. The device carrying the archiving medium may beadapted to execute one of the two methods or may execute both methods.In this case, the user has to choose which one should be executed. Forthat purpose, the device carrying the archiving medium has an inputsignal means containing the user's request.

The full scan algorithm does not make assumptions about how a recordingmedium has been recorded. The recording medium is approached as acollection of non-chronologically recorded scenes. Nevertheless, thescenes are captured to the archiving medium in the order of their RD&Ts.For that purpose, the full scan algorithm carries out the steps of:

-   -   scanning the sequentially accessible recording medium    -   determining scenes that comprise continued recording date and        time    -   determining whether scenes have already been captured on the        present archiving medium and the recording date and time of the        last captured scene    -   comparing recording date and time of the scanned scenes with the        last recording date and time on the archiving medium    -   capturing those data comprising an audio/video signal and a        recording date and time, the recording date and time of which is        more recent than the last recording date and time on the        archiving medium.

The result of the scanning is inserted advantageously into a list inwhich the RD&T of the scenes is combined with their position on thesequentially accessible recording medium. To construct this list thefull scan algorithm carries out the steps of:

-   -   constructing a list of scenes in the device carrying the        archiving medium with the scenes in the order in which they are        physically located on the sequentially accessible recording        medium    -   placing a first scene begin marker in a local data structure        indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recording        medium where the oldest scene to be captured begins    -   placing a first scene end marker in a local data structure        indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recording        medium where the oldest scene to be captured ends    -   placing a second scene begin marker in a local data structure        indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recording        medium where the second oldest scene to be captured begins,    -   placing a second scene end marker in a local data structure        indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recording        medium where the second oldest scene to be captured ends,        -   continuing this loop until there are no more scenes to add.

The scene end marker may be automatically placed in the list when adiscontinuity is found in the recording dates and times.

The position of the scenes on the recording medium may be defined by theformat of an n-bit tape counter. For example a 4-bit counter: 0000,0001, 0002, . . . up to a maximum of 9999. For that purpose, the tapecounter has to be reset to 0 once the sequentially accessible medium isrewound to the beginning.

Another possibility of defining the position is to use the pre-formatthat is added to the sequentially accessible medium during recording.The pre-format can be the time code added with every single picture. Thenumber of pictures recorded per second depends on the used standard. Forexample, the Phase Alternation Line (PAL) has a frame rate of 25 framesper second. The time code usually has the format [hh:mm:ss:ff], whereinwith hh represents hours, mm represents minutes, ss represents secondsand ff represents the frames per second.

Most advantageously, the scenes are captured to the archiving medium intheir chronological order independently of the physical order of theirappearance on the recording medium.

To ensure that the inventive method automatically updates the archivingdevice it is particularly advantageous that the list in the archivingdevice is checked after another scene has been captured. For thatpurpose, the full scan algorithm captures the scenes to the archivingmedium by performing the following steps:

-   -   making the device carrying the sequentially accessible recording        medium wind the recording medium to the position corresponding        to the scene begin marker in the list    -   making the device carrying the sequentially accessible recording        medium start playing    -   transferring the scenes via a connection to the device carrying        the archiving medium    -   capturing those scenes to the archiving medium    -   stopping the device carrying the recording medium when the end        of the position corresponding to the first scene end marker is        reached    -   refreshing the last RD&T known    -   inquiring if there are any RD&Ts still in the list    -   determining which scene begin marker is closest to the current        last RD&T known    -   finishing the full scan algorithm if there are no more RD&Ts        left in the list.

The inventive method of performing the append algorithm is intended formedia that are used by appending new material after old material. Beforea new scene is recorded to the tape, the tape is positioned at the endof the last recording (last RD&T known). The search for that point issupported by camcorders for example. Usually they are equipped with an“end search” button. Pressing this button will position the tape justafter the end of the last added scene, i.e. the last RD&T known. If theend of the tape is approached or reached during recording, the camcorderuser may choose to continue recording at the beginning of the tape. Thesequentially accessible recording medium is used as a circular buffer sothat older recordings are overwritten. The append algorithm carries outthe following step:

-   -   verifying if the inserted archiving medium has a last RD&T        stored in its settings,    -   making the device carrying the sequentially accessible recording        medium start playing so that an audio and video stream is        transferred to the disk recorder,    -   comparing the currently received RD&T with the last RD&T of the        archiving medium,    -   making the recording device start winding or rewinding the        sequentially accessible recording medium to the point of the        last RD&T of the archiving medium depending on the result of the        comparison,    -   making the recording device start playing when the point of the        last RD&T is found on the sequentially accessible recording        medium, while the archiving medium captures the received        audio/video stream at the same time.

As during recording the sequentially accessible recording medium isrewound to the beginning when the end is reached, the append algorithmfor controlling the recording device does the same remotely. The appendalgorithm also makes the sequentially accessible recording medium rewindto the beginning when a gap is found.

Advantageously the update process is started by an input signal from theuser. For that purpose, the archiving device has an input signal meansand carries out the steps of:

-   -   initiating the update by pushing the “start” button on the        device carrying the archiving medium    -   asking the user to decide whether a full scan should be        performed    -   initiating the append algorithm if the next input signal comes        from the “no” button    -   initiating the full scan algorithm if the next input signal        comes from the “yes” button.

With reference to the archiving device, it may control the devicecarrying the recording medium by means of a cordless or cord requiringinterface such as the IEEE1394, the IrDS standard or the bluetoothstandard. The archiving device advantageously, uses a bi-directionalconnection for receiving the data stream and transporting the commands.

When the archiving device is equipped with a non-volatile memory, theidentification (ID) of different, replaceable archiving media can bestored in it, even together with the last RD&T known.

In one embodiment the archiving device is a disk recorder and thearchiving medium is one of the group consisting of: compact disc,digital versatile disc, hard disk.

A recorder for capturing data on an archiving medium according to theinvention comprises

-   -   a means of inputting a command    -   a means of reading the settings of said archiving carrier    -   a means of controlling a device carrying data on a sequentially        accessible recording medium    -   a means of receiving the data.

When the recording device is a Personal Computer the inventive capturingmethod can be used for the incremental back up in personal computers.

An advantage of the inventive device is that the user only has toconnect both devices and insert the recording medium with the new scenesand the archiving medium to be updated. Thus, the inventive methodpermits the easy updating of the archiving medium that serves as anarchive. After initiation the inventive method starts the algorithmrequired by the used and the recording device is automaticallycontrolled by the archiving device.

One advantage of the inventive append algorithm is that is enables theuser to simultaneously view the newly recorded video information withthe update.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become morereadily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after review ofthe following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the set up for update disk.

FIG. 2 shows a stage chart showing the update disk state machine.

FIG. 3 shows areas of an append-recorded tape.

FIG. 4 shows an overall state machine for the append method.

FIG. 5 shows details of the searching super-state of the append method.

FIG. 6 shows the capturing super-state for the append method.

FIG. 7 shows an overall state machine for the full scan method.

FIG. 8 shows details of the scan tape super-state of the full scanmethod.

FIG. 9 shows a tape order and scene order found in a list.

FIG. 10 shows the capturing super-state for the full scan method.

FIG. 11 shows possible contents of the list.

The following definitions are used in the figures:

-   Scene: A piece of continuous recording with a certain duration.-   RD&T: Recording Date and Time.-   Data: Video/Audio and Recording Date & Time signal-   Blank: A piece of the recording medium on which nothing was    previously recorded.-   Recording: Recording a scene on a sequentially accessible archiving    medium, i.e. the recording medium.-   Capturing: Copying a scene from the recording medium to the    archiving medium.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment for the set-up that uses an IEEE1394 asinterface 3. The interface 3 connects a recording device 1 carrying asequentially accessible recording medium 4 with an archiving device 2carrying an archiving medium 5. The sequentially accessible recordingmedium 4 is also replaceable and typically used as a circular buffer. Asin conventional systems a data stream, e.g. a video/audio stream,containing the Recording Date and Time (RD&T) is transferred from therecording device 1 to the archiving device 2. The novelty is that thearchiving device 2 controls the recording device 1. For the transport ofthe control commands such as play, stop or rewind, for example, thearchiving device 2 preferably uses an interface 3. Not shown in FIG. 1is the fact that archiving device 2 contains a non-volatile memory, e.g.a Random Access Memory (RAM). In another embodiment of the invention therecording device 1 is controlled cordlessly via a remote control, e.g.with the bluetooth standard or the IrDA standard. The archiving media 5are replaceable; each of them has identification such as anIdentification number (ID). When an archiving medium 5 is entered intothe archiving device 2 it is recognized by its Identification number.The non-volatile memory of the archiving device 2 has several entries.Each entry consists of a couple of data that contain the Identificationnumber and the last known Recording Date and Time (last RD&T known). Theinput signal is generated by the user, e.g. by pushing an update button.

Alternatively the last RD&T known may be stored on the archiving medium5.

FIG. 2 is a state chart showing the update disk state machine. Theupdate is initiated by pushing the “start” button of the archivingdevice after connecting the recording device to the archiving device.The settings of the currently inserted disk are then read. The settingsare the identification and the last Recording Date & Time known forexample. Afterwards the user is asked to decide whether a full scanmethod should be performed. If the “yes” button is pushed as reply, thefull scan algorithm is initiated. When the full scan algorithm ends theupdate is done. If the “no” button is pushed, the append algorithm isinitiated. The append algorithm verifies, if a Recording Date and Timebelonging to the inserted archiving medium is found, either on thearchiving medium itself or in a non-volatile memory. If Recording Dateand Time information is found, the append algorithm continues until theupdate has been completed. If no Recording Date and Time is found, theuser is asked whether a full scan should be executed. If the “yes”button is pushed, the full scan is initiated, if the “no” button ispushed, the process ends without an update.

FIG. 3 shows the areas of an append-recorded medium. The append methodof recording is intended for media used by appending new material afterold material. Before a new scene is recorded to the tape, the tape ispositioned at the end of the last recording. The search for that pointis supported by camcorders for example. Usually they are equipped withan “end search” button. Pressing this button will position the tape justafter the end of the last added scene, i.e. the last RD&T known. If theend of the tape is approached or reached, the camcorder continuesrecording at the beginning of the tape. The tape is used as a circularbuffer so that older recordings are overwritten. In this example theletters A to D denote:

-   A An area from the beginning of the tape up to the point of last    recording.-   B An area from the last point of recording up to the point of last    update.-   C An area from the last point of update to the point where the    recording was continued at the start of the tape.-   D An area with either old material or blank tape.

The RD&T will consecutively increase in the order of sequence of AreaB-Area C-Area A. The append algorithm searches on the recording mediumfor the point stored as the last RD&T known in the non-volatile memoryor on the archiving medium. From this point onwards it will startcapturing scenes until is has reached the point of the last recording.The current position of the recording medium at the beginning of theappend algorithm is irrelevant, as during the update the archivingdevice controls the recording device in that the tape is wound to thecorresponding point of the last update.

FIG. 4 shows the overall state machine for the append method. Thealgorithm for the append method will try to fetch the last RD&T knownfrom the non-volatile memory or from the archiving medium itself. If anRD&T is not stored together with the identification, it means that thedisk has never previously been updated. Consequently, the archivingrecorder rewinds the recording medium completely. When the beginning ofthe recording medium is reached, the archiving device makes therecording device play and at the same time starts the capturingprocedure itself. If the append algorithm finds a last RD&T known storedtogether with the identification, then the archiving medium makes therecording device start searching for that point on the recording medium.

FIG. 5 shows details of the searching super-state of the append method.When the archiving device is initiated, a start command is transferredto the recording device, which converts this command to thecorresponding action, i.e. the recording device starts playing. Togetherwith a data stream containing the scenes the RD&T is transferred to thearchiving device. There the automatic update device compares the RD&Treceived with that stored in the non-volatile memory or on the storagemedium itself. If the RD&T received is more recent than the one storedor no RD&T is received, then the archiving device makes the recordingdevice rewind until the desired RD&T is found or until the beginning ofthe tape is reached. If the RD&T received when the recording devicestarts playing is older than the one fetched from the non-volatilememory or the archiving medium itself, the archiving device makes therecording device fast forward according to the automatic update untilthe desired RD&T is found or until the end of the tape.

At the beginning of the append algorithm the archiving device tries toidentify the inserted archiving medium and compares its identificationwith the ones stored in the non-volatile memory. If the currentarchiving medium has already been updated by the inventive device, thenits identification is stored together with the last RD&T known in thenon-volatile memory. If the archiving device does not find the insertedarchiving medium identification in the non-volatile memory a command forrewinding (fast reverse play) to the beginning of the recording mediumis transferred to the recording device. The play command is thentransferred to the recording device and the stream of audio/video datais captured by the new or deleted archiving medium.

In case the last known RD&T stored in the non-volatile memory does notexist anymore on the recording medium, e.g. it has been overwritten; theinventive device will indicate the fact that is has not been found. Theindicators may be a lamp, an LED, a text on a display or an acousticsignal.

FIG. 6 shows the capturing super-state for the append method from thepoint onwards when the first RD&T is found. The append algorithm makesthe archiving device send a “play” command to the recording device. As areply, the current RD&T will be received together with the transferredsignals. The archiving device contains a unit for the continuedcomparison of the RD&T received and the one fetched from thenon-volatile memory. In case the result is that the scene on therecording medium is more recent than the ones already captured on thearchiving medium the archiving device will capture these new scenes. Assoon as the result is that the scenes played from the recording mediumare older than the ones already captured to the archiving medium, or agap is found, the recording device is rewound to the beginning forcircular recording. If there are new scenes at the beginning of therecording medium they are added to the archiving medium as described.

So far only the algorithm for the append method has been described. Inthe following paragraphs the full scan method is explained. Thisalgorithm does not make assumptions about how a recording medium hasbeen recorded. The recording medium is approached as a collection ofscenes recorded in non-chronological order. Nevertheless the scenes arecaptured to the archiving medium in the order of their RD&Ts.

FIG. 7 shows the overall state machine for the full scan method with anexample of a tape. The full scan algorithm first rewinds the tape to thebeginning, scans it and constructs a list of scenes in the order inwhich they are present on the tape. After the scene list has beenconstructed that scene is selected from the list, which is the oldestbut is still more recent than the last scene added to disk. For an agecomparison the last RD&T is fetched from the non-volatile memory of thearchiving medium itself. The archiving device then makes the camcorderwind the tape to the position prior to this oldest scene of the list andthen start playing the tape. At the same time the scene is captured.After the scene has been captured the last added RD&T is updated and thenext scene is added to the archiving medium as described above. Thisprocess stops if there are no more scenes to add. The scan tapesuper-state can be broken down into a few simple components. First thestate will start the camcorder by sending the “play” command. It willthen try to find new RD&Ts from the scene transferred to the archivingdevice via the interface. If it has found a new RD&T a scene beginmarker is placed automatically. As soon as an RD&T discontinuity isfound (i.e. the scene changes) a scene end marker is placedautomatically in the list. The archiving device then starts the searchfor more recent scenes again.

FIG. 8 shows details of the scan tape super-state for the full scanmethod. The scan tape super-state can be broken down into a few simplecomponents. First, the state will start the recording device by sendingthe “play” command. The archiving device will try to find an RD&T thatis younger than the last RD&T belonging to the currently insertedarchiving medium in the received stream. In the archiving device a listis constructed during the full scan. When a new RD&T is found the RD&Tand a scene begin marker are inserted into the list. It isadvantageously to also add information about the absolute position ofthe corresponding scene on the recording medium. This information canhave the format of an n-bit tape counter or of the pre-formation of therecording medium for example. This information can be used for windingquickly to a start position of a scene.

As soon as the scene changes (RD&T discontinuity), or a gap is found, ascene end marker and, according to the implementation, the absoluteposition is inserted into the list. The received audio/video streamcontinues and as soon as a new RD&T is found another scene begin markeris set in the list. After another RD&T discontinuity another scene endmarker is set. This loop goes on until no more new RD&Ts are found.

FIG. 9 shows one example of an order of scenes on the sequentiallyaccessible recording medium. In this example the chronological order ofthe scenes is based on their RD&T 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. On the recording mediumtheir order is 1, 4, 2, 3, 5, which corresponds to their order in thelist. The inventive full scan algorithm will capture these scenes to thearchiving medium in their chronological RD&T order. As the listgenerated in the update device is a mirror of the contents of thesequentially accessible recording medium, it needs only start playingand the archiving device will know at which point the head of therecording device is. From that point on the full scan algorithm makesthe recording device play fast reverse or fast forward, depending onwhere the next scene to be captured is located.

FIG. 10 shows the capturing super-state for the full scan method. Oncethe scanning is finished and the list is constructed the capturingbegins. For that, the scene markers are fetched from the list, thismeans the position of the oldest scene on the recording means. Theposition may be defined by the RD&T or potentially by the absoluteposition on the recording medium. The recording device is then made togo to the corresponding position on the sequentially accessiblerecording medium. When the point of the scene begin is reached on therecording medium the recording device is remotely controlled by thearchiving device to start “normal” play, while the update devicecaptures this scene to disk until the position corresponding to thescene end marker is reached at the same time. When this position isreached the act of capturing is stopped. The RD&Ts just complied arethen deleted from the list and a new scene begin marker and a new sceneend marker are set. The capturing super-state continues until there areno more scenes markers left.

FIG. 11 shows in partial Figures a) and b) the possible contents of thelist generated in the archiving device in the form of a table. In FIG. 1a) the RD&Ts received from the recording device are indicated byyear-month-day; hour-minute-second. The RD&Ts belonging to one scene arecontiguous. A discontinuity means that another scene begins. In thisexample a tape counter is used to define that the absolute position ofthe RD&T on the recording medium is of the 4-bit-type. FIG. 11 b) showsanother possibility for the definition of the position that is thepre-formatted time code defined by [hh:mm:ss:ff]. For each frame, i.e.each picture, a time code is added to the sequentially accessiblerecording medium. If the PAL-system is used, the bit rate is 25 framesper second. This means that ff goes from 00, 01 . . . to 24.

In both partial Figures the last two rows indicate where the scene beginmarkers and the scene end markers are placed. These markers are setafter scanning the sequentially accessible recording medium andgenerating a list with all the RD&T in their physical order. Once ascene has been captured the last RD&T known in the system is refreshedand compared with the RD&Ts belonging to a scene begin marker. Usingthis procedure it is much faster to determine the current oldest RD&Tthan to compare the last one known with every single RD&T in the list.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is to attach a Digital Video(DV) camcorder to either a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) recorder or ahard disk recorder using the “i.Link” IEEE1394 as a connection.

The invention may be summarized as an automatic update performed by anarchiving device that controls the device carrying the sequentiallyaccessible recording medium. The update can be performed according to afull scan algorithm or to an append algorithm. Both algorithms arrangethings so that only those scenes are captured to the archiving mediumthat are more recent than the last scene captured in a previous session.The reference for the age is the Recording Date and Time. The full scanalgorithm does not make assumptions about how a recording medium hasbeen recorded, whereas the append algorithm is intended for therecording of media used by appending new material after old material.The method of capturing scenes is especially useful for a disk recorder.

The data captured may be an audio/video-stream of a camcorder or thefiles of a personal computer.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of capturing data that comprise arecording date and time, said data having been recorded by a firstdevice on a sequentially accessible recording medium carried by thefirst device, on an archiving medium, said method comprises the stepsof: receiving the data from the first device; and capturing the data onan archiving medium in a second device, characterized in that the seconddevice carrying the archiving medium controls the first device carryingthe sequentially accessible recording medium, characterized in that saidmethod includes a full scan algorithm comprising the steps of: scanningthe sequentially accessible recording medium; determining scenes thatcomprise continued recording date and time; determining whether sceneshave already been captured on the present archiving medium and therecording date and time of the last captured scene; comparing recordingdate and time of the scanned scenes with the last recording date andtime on the archiving medium; and capturing those data comprising anaudio/video signal and a recording date and time, the recording date andtime of which is more recent than the last recording date and time onthe archiving medium.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterizedin that the full scan algorithm further comprises the steps of:constructing a list of scenes in the device carrying the archivingmedium with the scenes in the order in which they are physically locatedon the sequentially accessible recording medium; placing a first scenebegin marker in a local data structure indicating the place on thesequentially accessible recording medium where the oldest scene to becaptured begins; placing a first scene end marker in a local datastructure indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recordingmedium where the oldest scene to be captured ends; placing a secondscene begin marker in a local data structure indicating the place on thesequentially accessible recording medium where the second oldest sceneto be captured begins; placing a second scene end marker in a local datastructure indicating the place on the sequentially accessible recordingmedium where the second oldest scene to be captured ends; and continuingthis loop until there are no more scenes to add.
 3. The method asclaimed in claim 2, characterized in that a scene end marker isautomatically placed in the list when a discontinuity in the recordingdates and times is found.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that the position of the scene markers has the formatof an n-bit tape counter.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 2,characterized in that the position of the scene markers has a formatthat is added to each frame or picture on the sequentially accessiblerecording medium.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized inthat the step of capturing the scenes to the archiving medium comprisesthe sub-steps of: making the first device carrying the sequentiallyaccessible recording medium wind the recording medium to the positioncorresponding to the scene begin marker in the list in which therecording date and time is closest to the last recording data and timeknown; making the first device carrying the sequentially accessiblerecording medium start playing back the recorded scenes; transferringthe scenes via a connection to the second device carrying the archivingmedium; capturing those scenes to the archiving medium; stopping thefirst device carrying the sequentially accessible recording medium whenthe end of the position corresponding to the scene end marker isreached; refreshing the last recording date and time known; inquiring ifthere still are recording dates and times in the list; determining whichscene begin marker is closest to the current last recording date andtime known; and finishing the full scan algorithm if there are no morerecording dates and times left in the list.
 7. The method as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the scenes are captured to the archivingmedium in their chronological order.
 8. The method as claimed in claim1, characterized in that the method comprises an append algorithmcomprising the following steps of: verifying if the inserted archivingmedium has a last recording data and time stored in its settings; makingthe first device carrying the sequentially accessible recording mediumstart playing so that an audio and video stream is transferred to thesecond device; comparing the currently received recording date and timewith the last recording date and time of the archiving medium; makingthe first device start winding or rewinding the sequentially accessiblerecording medium to the point of the last recording date and time of thearchiving medium, depending on the result of the comparison; and makingthe first device start playing when the point of the last recording dateand time is found on the sequentially accessible recording medium, whilethe archiving medium captures the received audio and video stream at thesame time.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, characterized in thatthe sequentially accessible recording medium is rewound to the beginningwhen the end is reached.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 8,characterized in that the sequentially accessible recording medium isrewound to the beginning when a gap is found.
 11. The method as claimedin claim 1, characterized in that the second device has an input signalmeans, and the method further comprises the steps of: initializing theupdate by pushing the “start” button on second device carrying thearchiving medium; asking the user to decide whether a full scan shouldbe performed; initiating an append algorithm if the next input signalcomes from a “no” button; and initiating a full scan algorithm if thenext input signal comes from a “yes” button.
 12. An archiving devicecarrying a replaceable archiving medium, said archiving devicecomprising means for receiving and storing data transmitted from adevice carrying a replaceable recording medium, and means for performinga method of capturing scenes, characterized in that the device carryingthe archiving medium comprises means for controlling the device carryingthe recording medium, wherein said controlling means controls the devicecarrying the recording medium to: scan the replaceable recording medium,and determine scenes that comprise continued recording date and time,and wherein said means for receiving and storing data and said means forcapturing scenes: determine whether scenes have already been captured onthe present archiving medium and the recording date and time of the lastcaptured scene, compare recording date and time of the scanned sceneswith the last recording date and time on the archiving medium, andcapture those data comprising an audio/video signal and a recording dateand time, the recording date and time of which is more recent than thelast recording date and time on the archiving medium.
 13. The archivingdevice as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that means forcontrolling the device carrying the recording medium comprises acordless or cord requiring interface.
 14. The archiving device asclaimed in claim 13, characterized in that the archiving device uses abi-directional connection for both receiving the data stream andtransporting the commands.
 15. The archiving device as claimed in claim13, characterized in that the archiving device is equipped with anon-volatile memory.
 16. The archiving device as claimed in claim 15,characterized in that in the non-volatile memory stores identificationof the replaceable archiving media and the corresponding last recordingdate and time known.
 17. The archiving device as claimed in claim 13,characterized in that the archiving device is a disk recorder and thatthe archiving medium is one of the group consisting of: compact disk,digital versatile disk, hard disk.